Should I Start a Small Business Blog?
This article is part of the WWW 101 Series which provides an introduction to small business websites.
Are you thinking about starting a blog for your small business or non-profit organization? If so, you probably have a bunch of questions…
- How will my small business / non-profit benefit from blogging?
- What should I write about in my small business blog?
- What can I do if I’m not a great writer?
- How much time do I need to commit to blogging?
- How do I start a small business blog?
- How can I get people to visit my blog?
Benefits of Blogging
- Establish yourself as an expert in your field/industry.
- Build your brand.
- Provide value to customers and potential customers by sharing useful information.
- Engage with readers to learn what is important to them.
- Bring potential customers to your website.
Topics Ideas for a Small Business Blog
- How-to articles and tips
- Product or service reviews
- Company / organization news and accomplishments
- Industry trends
- Complimentary businesses or non-profit organizations of interest to your customers
Writing and Editing Help
- Ask an employee, volunteer, or family member to help write or edit the blog.
- Seek an intern who is studying journalism or business.
- Hire a professional content writer.
Time Commitment
- Publish posts regularly – this varies by company from daily to monthly.
- Check daily for comments and post replies.
How to Start a Blog
- Get a free blog on blogger.com (custom domain name involves a cost).
- Add a blog to your current website. If your web host supports WordPress, you can install it for free.
- Create a WordPress blog with a your own domain name. I recommend Go Daddy.
How to get Visitors to your Blog
- Write unique, interesting content.
- Optimize your blog for search engines.
- Social media – get out and mingle, post links to your blog.
- Exchange links with other blogs and websites.
- Visit related blogs and post comments.
- Be a guest blogger on related blogs that have a lot of visitors.
- Seek guest posts from bloggers who have a large following.
So what do you think? Are you going to start a blog for your small business or non-profit organization?
Related Articles
How to Write Effective Website Content